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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. branch — a division
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. drill — the tool
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bass — low music
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. craft — boats
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. ball — a dance
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. drill — army training
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. pit — in a race

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com